


to feel human

by carefulren



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family, Father Figures, Father-Son Relationship, Found Family, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Pre-Deviant Connor (Detroit: Become Human), Sick Character, Sickfic, Tumblr Prompt, Whump, again we have gavin the asshole, dad hank and son connor, hurt!Connor, sick!connor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-09
Updated: 2018-07-09
Packaged: 2019-06-07 13:09:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,560
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15219836
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/carefulren/pseuds/carefulren
Summary: An anonymous anti-android activist creates a highly contagious virus to show androids what it's like to feel human.Connor catches it, and despite trying to hide it, Hank catches on. As does Gavin... in a more aggressive manner.





	to feel human

By now, everyone’s heard of the android virus considering it’s spreading like wildfire to the very second. Each day, more and more androids are popping up with the virus, and it’s unnerving and leaving many humans frustrated that their droids aren’t able to function to the tasks they were designed to do.

CyberLife started working on a program fix the second an anonymous entity hacked into all local new programming to inform everyone of the virus created to show these androids what it really means to be human, but progress is slow going because the program is incredibly advanced and highly contagious, at times spread by touch alone.

Connor’s at Hank’s desk, the two watching the latest news segment that’s offering an update on a remedy for the virus. He’s standing behind Hank, his arms crossed as he frowns at the computer monitor. The updates aren’t good; CyberLife keeps hitting snags every time they think they’re advancing with a cure, and it’s unsettling, more-so since Connor’s been feeling a little off for a few days now.

He’s used to running twenty-four hours a day with no problem; he’s been designed to operate for extended periods of time, but for the last few days, he’s been feeling as if he needs to take some time to slip into rest mode. He feels drained, like his thirium is moving too slow and can’t keep up operations with his many biocomponents. It’s making his synthetic body feel very uncomfortable, with most movements bringing what he can only assume is aching pain.

He’s not used to it, and that paired with the constant feeling of being freezing cold, his CyberLife jacket doing nothing to fight against the poor elements of Detroit, he’s left feeling like he wants nothing more than to burrow in the warmth of multiple blankets and power into rest mode until he’s feeling himself again, maybe taking some warm thirium beforehand because there’s an almost craving in his stomach for some– a craving that doesn’t fit the usual sensation of needing thirium for a life or death situation.

The news reporter runs through the symptoms of this virus again for those who are questioning on whether or not their household droid is infected, and Connor nods at each one he’s experiencing. He’s not sure which droid infected him, and he shouldn’t be surprised, but he is… He’s surprised, and something else– something that’s not even a concept in his programs. He’s afraid.

At times, this virus mutates and leaves droids essentially bedridden, and there’s been a few public cases where some droids have shut down entirely. It seems to differ in intensity depending on the droid model, and while Connor’s an advanced series, he’s still afraid of what will become of him without the cure.

“You’ll tell me if you start feeling sick or anything, right?” Hank asks, spinning around in his chair to look up at Connor once the news program cuts off. “This is some serious shit, and I know how you are, you self-sacrificing asshole who thinks he has the whole world on his shoulders.” 

Connor can detect the muted concern hidden behind Hank’s snark, and he nods, blinking slowly. “Of course, Lieutenant.”

Hank frowns at him and tilts his head a little. “You okay, Connor? You look,” he pauses, waving one hand as he tries to figure out the right thing to say, “pale and tired.” He flicks his gaze back to the screen before pulling a slow gaze back to Connor. “This is the virus, isn’t it?” He keeps his voice low as to not alert those around them, but Connor shakes his head to dismiss his words.

“No, Lieutenant. My systems are working at 100%.” 

Hank tilts his head, both brows raised. “Then how come you’re shaking?”

“Android biocomponents can react to cold temperatures just as a human reacts to cold temperatures,” Connor answers almost immediately, as if he’s been rehearsing the response in his head. 

“But we’ve been inside in the heat for twenty minutes now,” Hank counters as he slowly gets to his feet.

“It’s not uncommon for an android’s biocomponents to take a while to warm–” 

Connor’s words come to an abrupt stop when Hank cups a rough palm to his cheek, frown deepening as his hand slides to feel Connor’s soaked jacket. He and Connor have both spent their morning outside investigating a crime scene in the icy rain, and while Hank had his thick jacket, Connor only has this thin sorry excuse for a jacket to protect him.

“You’re freezing,” Hank scolds, and he starts shrugging out of his jacket. “Take that useless thing off.” 

“Lieutenant–” 

“That’s an order, Connor,” Hank spits out, and Connor fights against his systems. 

“Not here,” He starts, prompting Hank to freeze in his movements. “The moment I put on your coat, everyone here will suspect I’m infected with the virus.” 

“Which you are–” 

“I know,” Connor sighs. “But, we can at least be subtle about it, or would you rather have every person in this area question your actions?” 

Hank considers this as a groan slips past his lips. “Fine, we’ll go back to mine, and I’ll lend you some dry clothes.”

Any other day, Connor would interject because the two need to review the case from this morning, but he’s feeling very run down, and he doesn’t feel as if his biocomponents will ever take to a normal temperature again, so he follows Hank out of the station, only stopping in the lobby when Hank mutters that he forgot his keys on his desk.

Hank orders Connor to wait, and Connor does, allowing himself to sink back against a free wall space while he digs his fingers into his arms to suppress the shivers.

“Hey, Tin Can.”

Gavin’s voice brings an unfamiliar sense of aggravation to Connor’s programs, but he keeps his expression cool as he looks to see Gavin walking toward him, dripping slightly from the rain.

“Detective Reed.” He nods, and Gavin stops before him and tilts his head, his studied eyes watching Connor as if he’s picking the droid apart piece by piece.

“You’re not looking so hot, droid. What’s wrong with you?”

“I’m perfectly fine, Detective.” Connor can sense an air of unexpected danger, but he doesn’t dare show this to Gavin. He only keeps his posture calm against the wall as Gavin leans in close to his face.

“Yeah? I’m not buying it, plastic. You’ve got that virus, don’t you.”

“No,” Connor answers, mentally cursing himself for sounding even the slightest bit defensive.

“Yeah? Then if you didn’t, you wouldn’t be able to feel this, right?”

Before Connor can react, Gavin’s slamming a fist into his face, and he can feel it, can feel the synthetic skin painfully breaking from sharp knuckles, can feel the crunch of his facial plate cracking from the force, and it burns and stings. The burst of pain is overwhelming, and he gasps and pushes past Gavin until he’s stumbling out of the building just as Hank comes into the lobby and charges Gavin.

Outside, Connor’s shivering picks up as icy wind and rain whips against him, and he makes it a few steps before his knees give out, and he crashes to the ground. His fingers curl into shaking fists against the cold pavement, and the pressing sensation of feeling overwhelmed pushes at him until he’s crying. For the first time since his creation, he’s crying, and once he starts, he can’t stop.

Tears are slipping to the pavement below him, mixing with the freezing rain, and he can’t stop. He can’t get a hold of himself; he’s losing control. He can feel his software instability climbing drastically, but then there’s a thick jacket being draped over his trembling shoulders, and Hank’s at his side, looking far too worried and sporting bright red knuckles specked with blood.

“Jesus fuck, Connor! Are you crying?” Hank’s past worried by this point. He’s scared now, and his heart clenches uncomfortably when Connor nods. 

“Yes. I’m sorry– I– I’m feeling really overwhelmed.” His voice is shaking, and Hank can only help Connor to his feet and tighten the jacket he draped around him. 

Hank lifts a hand to Connor’s cracked cheek, but Connor winces and jerks his face away at the small touch.

“That hurt?” 

“Yes,” Connor mutters, a few tears still slipping from his eyes. 

Hank takes a moment to breath through the red anger that clouds his vision for the second time in five minutes. He has every desire to bust back into the station and beat Gavin’s ass all over again, but Connor’s shaking hard in front of him and looking the spitting image of miserable. He adjusts his priorities for now considering Connor’s not taking this virus very well, and he wraps a protective arm around Connor’s shaking shoulders.

“Okay, let’s get you home, got it? We’ll get you some dry clothes and blankets, and I’ll let you cuddle Sumo until CyberLife gets its shit together and makes a damn cure.” 

This would be the part where Connor would protest about work and Hank would call out “that’s an order, Connor!”, but Connor’s quietly compliant, and it only pulls at Hank’s heart harder than he ever thought possible. And, he tightens his arm around Connor’s shoulders and hurries him to his car.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm back! 
> 
> Come say hi on tumblr! (@toosicktoocare)


End file.
